The genesis of this group dates back to the early 70s, when, in response to an incipient demand from the national industrial scene, Prof. Carlos Augusto Perlingeiro started the formation of the Project and Process Control Group inside the Chemical Engineering Program. This group gradually structured itself along the years, facing a very hard scenery in terms of the assembly of a suitable infrastructure, due to the restrictions posed by the govern to the purchase of imported equipment, mainly computers. 

Quickly, three lines of research were defined, mainly associated to the professional characteristics of the Group members: Equipment Project, Modeling and Numerical Methods and Process Control. At that time, besides Prof. Perlingeiro, the group was constituted by Prof. Evaristo C. Biscaia Jr. and Prof. Enrique L. Lima.

In the 90s, there was a significant change in the group with the leaving of Prof. Perlingeiro and the incorporation of Prof. José Carlos Pinto. Through this change, the lines of research were partially modified, adding the study of Polymer Reactor Engineering as the main user of the modeling, simulation and control techniques which are researched and developed. Because of that, during the 90s a laboratory dedicated to the study of polymerization systems was structured, which nowadays is well instrumented and fits international standards. 

Not long ago, the group also incorporated Prof. Príamo Melo, hired by PEQ and Prof. Argimiro Resende Secchi, who came to work at PEQ.This way, the group intends to strengthen the experimental research activities and to expand the works of the laboratory.